George C. Scott refused his Oscar because he had a profound distaste for the competitive nature of the awards and the film industry in general. He referred to the Oscars as "a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons" and believed that actors should not be compared or compete against each other. He also expressed his dislike for the film medium, saying that "film is not an actor's medium" due to the way scenes are shot out of order and the tediousness involved in movie production, which he felt compromised a fully developed performance. Scott preferred stage acting over film and sent a telegram to the Academy telling them that he would refuse the award and did not want to be nominated at all. When he won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as General George S. Patton in 1971, he did not attend the ceremony, and the award was accepted on his behalf by the film's producer but was later returned to the Academy.